Many modern vehicles on the road come equipped with navigation display capability. In addition to showing a route to be traveled, the navigation display can output information such as a radio station, fuel information, odometer information, etc. Often times, the display is also user-interactive, in a touch or button/dial-controlled manner. Using the user interaction options, the user can select various features displayed on the navigation display. For example, a user can input a route-to-be-traveled, select a vehicle information setting for more information, etc.
Additionally or alternatively, a vehicle may have an audio output of various vehicle-related and/or route information for a user. For example, if the vehicle did not have a navigation display, the vehicle audio system may recite a menu from which the user can physically or verbally select an option. Even if the vehicle does have a navigation display, the menu may still be recited verbally in order to prevent the driver from having to interact with a visual display while driving.
As these and other vehicle systems grow more complex, users may begin to lack a fundamental understanding of these features. Typically, a user-manual of some sort is provided with a vehicle. The vehicle manual will often attempt to address typical vehicle systems in an explanatory manner. These manuals, however, may contain over a hundred pages of information and be difficult for users to navigate. If a vehicle condition occurs while a user is driving, it may not be feasible to check the manual at all, at least until the user parks the vehicle.
In a first illustrative embodiment, a method performed by a vehicle computing system includes detecting the triggering of a vehicle sensor indicating an abnormal vehicle condition and determining one or more likely abnormal vehicle conditions associated with the triggering of the sensor.
The method also includes accessing a vehicle database to determine one or more pieces of information relating to the one or more abnormal vehicle conditions. The method further includes electronically presenting the one or more pieces of information to a vehicle user.
In another illustrative embodiment, a vehicle computing apparatus includes detecting programmed logic circuitry to detect the triggering of a vehicle sensor indicating an abnormal vehicle condition. The vehicle computing system further includes determining programmed logic circuitry to determine one or more likely abnormal vehicle conditions associated with the triggering of the sensor.
The system also includes accessing programmed logic circuitry to access a vehicle database to determine one or more pieces of information relating to the one or more abnormal vehicle conditions.
Finally, the system includes presenting programmed logic circuitry to electronically present the one or more pieces of information to a vehicle user.
In yet a third illustrative embodiment a server enacted method of delivering a message includes determining a plurality of vehicles qualifying for message delivery.
The server enacted method also includes determining which of the plurality of vehicles is connected to a network with which the server is in communication and sending the message to the vehicles connected to the network.
The method further includes receiving a confirmation from one or more vehicles that the message was received and registering a receipt-of-message for each vehicle from which a confirmation was received.